TLDR A rare skin condition affected only the facial hair of a 46-year-old man.
The document reported a case of a 46-year-old man with an unusual presentation of lichen planopilaris (LPP), a scarring alopecia typically affecting the scalp. This case was distinct as it involved only the facial vellus hair, presenting as asymptomatic papular eruptions on the face without scalp involvement. Histologic examination confirmed a lymphocytic peri-follicular lichenoid interface dermatitis. The patient had a 30-year history of absent eyebrow hair growth. This presentation was rare, with only a few documented cases, primarily in perimenopausal women with frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA). Treatment for LPP remains challenging, with no standard protocol, and facial involvement further complicates management.
160 citations,
March 2009 in “Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery” New insights show Lichen Planopilaris is a rare, scarring hair loss condition, hard to treat, mainly affecting middle-aged women, and significantly impacts mental health.
155 citations,
September 2008 in “British journal of dermatology/British journal of dermatology, Supplement” FFA is more common in postmenopausal women, can affect younger women, and may stabilize over time.
113 citations,
May 2007 in “Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology” The study found that steroids and tetracycline helped treat active Lichen planopilaris, and hair transplants were good for later stages.
179 citations,
December 2004 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” Some postmenopausal women with frontal fibrosing alopecia stopped losing hair with finasteride treatment, hinting at a possible hormonal cause.
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January 2017 in “Indian Dermatology Online Journal” Body hair transplants can treat baldness but differ from scalp hair and need more research on long-term results and side effects.
6 citations,
December 2014 in “Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” Hair density and thickness decrease in all scalp areas for East Asians with AGA.
24 citations,
September 2012 in “Dermatologic Surgery” The conclusion is that normal scalp hair counts for Taiwanese people were established, showing age-related differences but not sex or scalp location differences.
5 citations,
October 1988 in “Clinics in Dermatology” Minoxidil promotes hair growth but exact mechanism is unknown.